Working Artist Initiative::The Characteristics of an Artist

{Screen print from LoftyMornings on Etsy}

"An artist is a man who tries to express the inexpressible."
~Alvin Langdon Coburn, Photographer

The subject for this week's Working Artist Initiative (WAI) readings is the characteristics of an artist. And these readings, while quite dry and a bit inaccessible I thought, were a challenge to me. They bring up the image of an artist that is reinforced throughout history in a series of negative stereotypes.

Artists have always been the victim of viewpoints, good or bad. Seen as flighty, unfocused, self-absorbed and strange. Often reclusive or anti-social. Sometimes with a God complex or a fragile disposition. Prone to crazy outbursts, hearing voices or lack of personal hygiene.



If you consider yourself an artist, do you feel defined by these images?
Why do we continue to reinforce these stereotypes in popular culture?



I do consider myself an artist. This is a term that I didn't always embrace. I always thought of myself as someone with artistic tendencies, not an artist. But now that I have welcomed that title, I have to admit that I am not comfortable with the implications. I don't consider myself as more moody, less responsible or more fragile than the general population.

I might feel things more deeply, but that doesn mean that I am crazy. I might see things more acutely, but that doesn't mean that I am divine. I might forsake all other things to bring my art to life, but that doesn't mean I am unfocused.

I do not feel that you can pigeon-hole any single person or group of people by the actions or traits of a few. There are people of every persuasion, every profession that are tortured souls and that is not the domain of artists in the least. There are plenty of artists that I know who are stable, competent and self-aware. They are productive members of society, have loving families and even support themselves and the local economy by their art.

The one thing that I rail against is the idea that an artist cannot be serious. For I am very serious. How to convince others of that?

I view it as my obligation to conduct myself as professionally as possible in all manners dealing with my art. To be seen as someone who is trusted and dependable and giving. And I may be an artist, but that doesn't mean that I want to starve for it. So I work hard at making every single penny that I can, while also supporting other artists and artisans who make things with their own two hands.



From one of the readings...

"An artist is one who not only sees but is prepared to pay the price of acquiring the technical knowledge to express what he sees. An artistic person is one who has not enough art in him to make him work at the technique of art whereby he can express himself; he indulges in moods and tones and impressions. Consequently, there are more artistic people than there are artists. The same is true of poetry; there are many people with poetic notions, but very few poets. It is not enough for a man to feel the divine flame burning in him; unless he goes into the concentrated, slogging business of learning the technique of expression, his genius will be of no use to anyone."


~Oswald Chambers, writer

Interesting to me in this passage is that Chamber is saying you can have artistic or poetic tendencies, but unless you commit to making it your raison d'etre, your reason for being, you cannot be considered an artist or a poet. He goes on to state that if you do not honor that talent that is burgeoning within you, then you are "living an impoverished spiritual life." He perpetuates those negative connotations while looking down on those who are 'artistic.'

I think that there are all sorts of artists. And sometimes the practicality of life gets in the way of pursuing that quest. But does it mean that you are not really an artist if you aren't into the 'concentrated, slogging business' of being an artist?

I do agree that there is a 'divine flame burning' within each of us and it is our responsibility to honor those talents. I don't agree that just being artistic isn't enough. Sometimes it is. Sometimes that is all that you have to give. And expressing your creative tendencies, whether they manifest as poetry or baked goods or on canvasses, IS of great use to everyone. Self-expression is not the exclusive domain of those who have gone to school to learn the 'technical knowledge' of art or those who 'pay the price.' Not everyone is ready to recognize, believe in, or accept their artistic nature. Not everyone can financially pursue that passion and give all to their art. What would be worse to me is in not succumbing to your call to be creative in whatever way it manifests itself, for doing so denies you the pleasure of tapping into your divine nature.

And until you are ready to do that, to make it an integral part of who you are and work it into a life that you can live with, seeing the world through the lens of an artistic person is enough.


What do you think?

• Do all artists share similar character traits? What are they?


• Are artists different because of their calling or called to be different?


• Is the stereotype a self-fulfilling prophesy or it that just the way things are? Can that be changed?


• Do you believe that everyone has been given an artistic nature? or is that only the domain of a few?


• Do you see yourself as an artist or an artistic person? Is there a difference?

Do tell!

Thanks for sharing the journey of this discussion with me as I try to make sense of it myself!



Here is what I accomplished this week on my plan of action:

• Participated in the A.R.T.S. Night show (my one and only show of the year).


• Produced two of the three prototypes for my jewelry line in progress.


• Conducted informal market research with the patrons.


• Found that the first one that I created was the more popular of the two.


• Sold a few. And accepted some custom orders.
  
• Decided that I am on the right track.

Enjoy the day!